The Children of the World: International Children's Choir will share its talents and personal stories at Palm Harbor United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The group's visit is part of a 10-month tour of the United States to raise awareness of the plight of children whose lives have been affected by the AIDS pandemic.

"They put on an entertaining, energizing, inspiring performance," said Chris Kirk, associate pastor of the church. "It will be an eye-opener to what is really happening on the other side of the world.

"There are things going on we can't even begin to imagine."

The choirs — there are three performing across the nation — perform for schools, churches and organizations such as Focus on the Family and Disney World.

The 13 little charmers slated for the Palm Harbor stage are ages 7 to 12 and come from Guatemala, Uganda and Nepal. They'll don native costumes and sing in English and native languages.

A special video presentation will help explain the crisis these children — and another 15-million, according to the group's press release — are facing because of AIDS.

The children are orphaned or greatly disadvantaged because their families have either died or cannot take care of them, but they are not up for adoption.

Tiffany Hailston, the choir's director, explained that the choirs are traveling to raise awareness and money to build "villages of hope" for needy children in their native countries.

"Each home will house 12 children and their caretaker, and four homes will make up a village," she said.

The goal of World Help, the nonprofit, nondenominational Christian organization sponsoring the choirs, is to provide housing, medical care, food, clothing, education and spiritual guidance for as many as "1-million children affected by AIDS," she said.

Terri Bryce Reeves can be reached treeves@tampabay.rr.com.

If you go

In concert

What: World Help presents Children of the World: International Children's Choir.

Where: Palm Harbor United Methodist Church, 1551 Belcher Road.

When: 6 p.m. Saturday.

Cost: The program is free, but an offering will be taken and there will be additional opportunities to sponsor children.

For more information: Visit www.phumc.net or call the church at (727) 785-7487. For information on World Help, visit www.worldhelp.net or call toll-free, 1-800-541-6691.